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BANN'EK & BAPTIST. v : • ITM W. _. _ i J “Holy Bible,—Book Divine, Precious treasure, thou art mine.” JESSE 41. WOOD, i vaitnr * H. C. HORNADY, j F «“ or »- ATLANTA, GEORGIA: Saturday, February S 3, 1861. Our terms of Subscription, $2 00 per Annum, always in advance. Terms for Job Work in our office. Cash on Delivery of the Work. For our terms for advertising, see Ist col umn of Ist page. CLVBS—I’REMIL’MS. 1. To any one who will send us Five subscribers and the money, we will send either an extra copy of the Banner for a year, the Tennessee Baptist, the Christian Repository, (an able monthly by El der 8. H. Ford, and Mrs. Sallie Rochester Ford,) or a copv of Matthew Revised, by Dr. Conant. 2. To any one sending us Three subscribers, we will send a copy of Worrell’s Review, or Four of the “Little Question Book,” for little chil dren, by 8. Root. 3. To any one who will send Two subscribers, we will send a copy of the work now in press, by the slave BERRY. This work every Southerner will want. Any minister who will send Two, shall have a copy of the Banner a year for $1 00. WEEKEY CHAT. We have clipped the following article from an exchange, and present it, in place of our weekly chat. Will our brethren, especially pastors read it carefully? You can very easily substitute Banner where “Presbyter” occurs, and make any other changes which your taste may suggest: THE PASTOR AND THE EDITOR. There is no work more useful, more honor able, more responsible, than that of the pastor. He preaches Jesus Christ, publicly, and from house to house, warning every man, in all wisdom, that he may present every man per fect in Christ Jesus. The work of the editor of the religious press is of the same sort. He has a pastoral charge, larger than that of any other pastor. The editors of the Presbyter speak to from ten to twenty thousand persons every week. Peter preached to more than three thousand persons in one house on one occasion. We visit more than three thousand houses every week, and we have a congrega tion in almost every house. At every visit we have a message for every one, of every age and condition. A pastor who visits the families of his church once or twice a year, and the sick as occasion req ires, is supposed to do well. We visit every household every week, and generally stay a week or more, without any tax for hospitality, and without asking any attention of any one until it is perfectly convenient. We can get along with oitC a faort, rrr breakfast, or chair, any attention as easily as an angel ean. Pastors go from house to house. We go to every house at once. Pastors want attention at once, and from alt; and if any member of the family is away he loses the visit. We are satisfied if ail tn a family give us a hearing at the same time, or one after another. We never get impatient, if while wo speak to one in a family or company, the rest are talking or laughing, and giving us no attention. If we have but one hearer and he breaks off abrupt ly and leaves ns, we meekly wait for his re turn, or until We can get another hearer. If he drops aslt'ep under our instructions, we are not troubled; we wait until he has finished his nap. There are few pastors who could stand for ones what we endure a thousand times every week. Our visits are much like pastor’s visits.— W e sometimes introduce the subject of relb ligion at once, and if it seems to be agreeable, we go on with it, giving the sinner and the professed Christian the best wo have. Some times we begin with the markets, agriculture, or the jKilitcul news, though we don’t take sides iu politics, and by degrees get to some thing better. We can be all this to men, that we may by all means save some. Pas tors understand this very well. If we cannot get some persons to hear what we have to sav alK»ut their own spiritual welfare, we can per haps interest them'and gain upon them by telling of revivals, and by giving interesting narrative of prayer meetings, or missionary intelligence. So pastors often proceed. Al most every visit we urge the people to be be nevolent contributors, and bring special cases before them. Sometimes we give our views upon eases of conscience, or qestions of reli gious experience. We frequently defend the doctrines and order of the Church against er rorists and opposers. Dur work is truly very much like the work of the pastor, and we ean accommodate ourselves and our visits more to the tastes or conveniences of the people than the pastor. bile we thus appreciate our estate, and compare our work to that of the pastor with •onM semblance of self-complacency, we do not depreciate his. We have no conflict. We are not in each other’s way. There is no com petition between us. We are co-workers, we defer to the pastor. lie is above us. In deed, it is a large part of our work to magni fy bis office. We only ask to be subordinate colleagues, and we art' happy to say that pas tors generally greet us, and commend us to their jaiople. lhey may well do so, for in a great degree our work is to clinch the nails which these masters of assemblies fasten, in sure places. Some pastors, not many, neglect us sadly, Il would be well for us, well for these poster*, and well for their people, if they could be brought to Jo tlu ir duty in this matter. The whole aim of the ministry ean lie secured and promoted in uo other way so effectually as by putting a religions paper m every family ; and the pastor who neglects to secure the eu-op craUois of' tire religious press is an indolent, thoughtless, and negligent man. whose work suffers in every department. who is slipshod where'er you mJ him.— Preset/ter. “STRIVE.* On our first | age. is an article with the a bove signature, upon the subject of Justifica tion, whodi we propose r> notice, as. without sth'll notice, we may be supposed to entertain the views therein contained. To tmd« rstaud what Baptists teach, upon the subject, several things ought to be dearly uihWoUmkl: 1. That man is a sinner against Divine law, and utterly unable to justify’ himself, 2. If he be justified at all, it is clearly God's prerogative to fix the terms. 3. He cannot be lusi fini in sin. I‘erfrct justification can only exist where there is entire iorsoeetK*. Rot all men arc gmlty, droadfuHy gtrfhy.' H w then ant a man be jwrt;i'ted with tnxl f Simply because. Christ takes the place of man, and bears his guilt upon the tree, and this is acceptable to God. Christ procures the innocence, the com plete righteousness of the believer. Christ is essentially his justification, \>y faith — Christ, as his righteousness— his justification, is receiv ed by faith. The Scripture teaching is as fol lows : “Now we know that what things soev er the Taw saith, it saith to them who are un der the law; that every mouth inay be stop ped, and all the world may become guilty be fore God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. But now the righteousness of God, without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law’ and the prophets; even the righte ousness of God, which is by the faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe. * * * Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God hath set forth to be a pro pitiation, through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God. To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness; that he might be just and the justifier of him who believeth in Jesus. * * * There fore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law Romans 3rd chapter, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 28. “For what saith the Scripture ? Abra " ham 1 bettered OuH. mid it”wns m.'rwuntrtt'imtw him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh, is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on hirn that justifieth the ungod ly, his faith is counted for righteousness; even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteous ness without works, saying blessed are they whose iniquities arc forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. * * * f or we say that faith, was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. * * * Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace P Romans 4th chapter, 3,4, 5,6, 7,8, 9, 16. “There fore being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; by whom also we have access, Vy faith, into this grace wherein we stand Romans sth chap ter, 1, 2. “Knowing that a man is not justi fied by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Je sus Christ, that w’e might be justified \>y the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law ; for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified Galatians 2nd chapter, 16. These passages may suffice, to show Paul’s teaching upon the subject. Our worthy cor respondent appears to confound the fruits of grace in the heart, with the doctrine of justifi cation. Justification is a declaration of inno cence. Men, by nature, are wofully guilty. Christ’s innocence is imputed to Christians, by faith. Justification by the blood of Christ, in the name (not by the name,) of Christ, by Christ, and by his knowledge, or knowledge of Christ, (not by knowledge simply,) all have reference to the same idea —Christ’s righteousness, imputed by faith as it was to Abraham. These passages must forever set tle the doctrine, and, therefore, the one in James, which speaks of justification, by works, cannot he properly interpreted to conflict with these. He evidently means that a man can not evince n ntate of justification without a living faith which produces works as certain ly as good tree produces good fruit. A liv ing faith is evidence of a new heart, and works by love—causes the subject to strive to enter in at the strait gate, and always to honor Christ, as his wisdom, righteousness, sanctifi cation and redemption. Tlic Revision Association. As matters now stand, it is evident that the work of the Revision Association must be se riously embarrassed, unless public confidence can be speedily restored. More than a year ago, our suspicions of unfairness in relation to the rendering of the word doulos, were arous ed, and we wrote to the President of the As sociation apprising him of our apprehensions, and seeking information. His reply was a simple request to wait for further develop ments, and that all might turn out well. In May last, we met with the Corresponding Secretary at Marietta, and expressed to him : the fear that the South would probably not ! get w hat we had a right to expect, and refer ' red to the rendering of the word doulos in i Philemon, as a suspicious circumstance. But i we were then assured, by the Corresponding | Secretary, that it was not the policy of the ■ Bible f nion to publish final revisions until, • by publications like that of Philemon, all the i criticisms of friends and foes could be seOur- I ed, so that the final Committee might have | the benefit of the learning of both, in coming ■ to a final settlement in the rendering of par ; tivuinr words and phrases. Thia, for the time, ; satisfied us that it was our duty to wait until | the Bible Vnion should announce the decision : of the Final Committee, and then if the word was not rendered Slave in some of its eonnee- I tions. (lor we do not believe that would be the I best rendering in every place.) then wo would i see that the I nion hail been unfaithful to its ■ puldisheil principles, and consequently un worthy of patronage either North or South. But while this was the position which wo then ! occupied, political events began to transpire which made it necessary for the President of the Revision Association to publish a Card, in which ho advised the friends of Revision in the South, to withhold their funds from the Bible Vnion. until there should be a satisfac ! tory solution of our National difficulties. Sans' the publication of that Card, our po i litietd affairs have assumed shape, and there . is now a Southern Confederacy, consisting of six of the Cotton States, and there is a pro bability that the number will soon be increas es! by two, so that some modification of our plans tor Revision will be required, in order to meet the view* of our people, and restore onifi lenee in the enterpris*'. And in order to do this, it strikes us that one of two tilings is nei-essary, viz: either to remove the Revision Association from Louisville, or to organize a S independent of both the Vnion and Revision A*s < H , iation, and kx'Ste it at some point in the bounds of the Southern Confed eracy. Its regard to the work of Revision per se, we say as the dyinj; Commander said in a na val engagement, “Don't give up the ship.” The work is mi-.' em ! «ltneJ iu the affectioos, and omsecrauxl by the prayers of Christians, some of them the best and truest of mankind. It is a work, which, if carried out to comple tion will Jo more to diffuse Biblical knowl edge than all the CommeoUries which have ever been written. Then why should the w ort cease I Why should our hands relax from tins great movetueut! Shall it be giv- BAN Nl’2 R AND BAPTIST. en up ? We are sure that thousands of Chris tian hearts and voices will respond to this question an emphatic, no. Then something must be done, and removal of the Revision Association into the new Confederacy strikes us as the very best thing that can be done, to restore confidence and secure the means of carrying it on. And if the removal cannot be effected, then we should have an independ ent organization, and w’e know of no point more suitable as a location than this. If there are such, then of course, we shall be satisfied, so the work may be carried on. In view of the importance of these things, the friends of Revision must attend the next annual meeting of the Revision Associati-in, inasmuch one seems to have the right to call a meeting. The next annual meeting of the Association is appointed to be held in the city of Louis ville, in April, and then the friends of Revis ion can take such action, as the good of the cause may seem to require. H. Snow-Drops and Ink-Drops. On Saturday of last week, we made a visit to the town of Forsyth, to fill an appointment for brother W. C. Wilkes, the esteemed pas tor of the church in that place. On arriving at the Depot, we inet with brother Dews, who kindly invited us to enjoy the hospitalities of his house. Here we met with a most hearty wi-tcrimF, I'nrd-werc-trmrtfy cntrrtamrd by 'rtiis excellent Christian familj,of which we shall ever cherish a grateful remembrance. We were also permitted to renew old acquaint ance with Col. Z. E. Harmon, and to spend an evening in talking over the events of the past. He is one of that useful class of men who have had to work their own way through life, and well has he acted his part. He is now, however, the subject of affliction, but he seems to bear them as a Christian. And it is well for “these light afflictions which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceed ing and eternal weight of glory.” We also spent a few hours with the family of brother Daniel Sanford, and with that of sister Mar tin. In short, we recived many expressions of kindness from the brethren generally, which we shall gratefully remember. We had only a short time to spend with brethren Wilkes and Asbury, at the Georgia Female Universi ty. Those brethren are doing a good work as educators of the young, and should be encour aged in their praiseworthy enterprise. There are now in attendance about one hundred pu pils, and twenty or thirty more are expected. The annual Commencement of this Institution will be on the 3rd Wednesday in July. On Sabbath morning, we had a few snow drops, but still the Sabbath School was well attended, as was also the forenoon service. At night we preached to the young, of whom there was a large number present. Wetrust that the exercises of the day and night may both be alike blessed to the good of all. And now the reader has the ink-drops, so we close. H. For the Banner & Baptist. The Challenge Again. Rev. Henry Bvnn, —I threatened to make you “a visitation ” To complete it, I challeng ed brother Wood and Hornady to meet me. To make it more complete, they invited Dr. Adam T. Holmes to act as their second. And now they’ have me at a disadvantage, for three against one is not fair play. So to make the game even, and “the visitation” most complete, I will select two lean seconds to match their fat one. I choose Dr. Joseph S. Baker and brother D. P. Everett, of Florida.* Then fill up sister B.’s extensive poultry yards to their utmost capacity, and after due notice, bring on your Wood-en spoon and Horn gun flints as soon as you please. N. M. CRAWFORD. Mercer University, Feb. 4, 1861. ♦As it is a fact well established, that in such conflicts lean men are more destructive thiin/at ones, and as we are determined to have a fair meeting, we hereby choose Elder B. F. Tharp, of Perry, to confront on of Dr. Craw ford’s seconds.— Eds. For the Banner h Baptist Reply to Eider J. R. <>raves. A friend has placed in my hand the Tennes see Baptist of the 26th of January. In that, I see the senior Editor complains that I have “deliberately misrepresented” him because I said, in connection with a quotation I made from his (old) “Iron Wheel,” that “the new one has introduced a change.” Now, the fact is, I added that remark for the express pur pose of avoiding a misrepresentation of him. I referred to him, not as an antagonist, but as a witness ; and my design was simply to show that, up to the time of the appearance of niv book, he and others, as well as I, ascribed both “sovereignty” and “independence,” to a church. J' .d I not intimated that he had dropped the use of the word “sovereign,” as distinct from “independent,” in his “Revised Iron M heel, I would have Ixsen presenting him in a false light. What I meant, will be apparent by quoting in connection, the passage as it stands respectively in the Old and in the “Revised Iron Wheel.” In the Old “Iron Wheel,” it stands thus: “Each particular church, being independent and sovereign, is the highest source of authority, and from its decisions there can be no appeal; it, how ever, can reconsider its own decisions, whenever the majoritv is in favor of a reconsideration.” p 559. K ' In the Revised Iron Wheel, we have it thus: “Each particular church, being AN independent F-XLi. LfIXE DEMOCRACY, is the highest ESRTITLY source of authority, and from its de ciafoms there can be no appeal. 8 WE To THE LAW OF CHRIST AND THE JUDGMENT OF SISTER CHURCHES; it, however,can reconsid er its own decisions, whenever the majority is in favor of a reconsideratioii.” I quote from the Tennessee Baptist of March 17th, 1860, which the senior Editor tells us, contains the “matter prepared for the Revis ed Edition of the Great Iron Wheel, soon to be issued." The words in capitals, together with the omission of the word “sovereign,” constitute the “change" w hich I intimated was introduced. 1 confine myself briefly and ex clusively to the charge of misrepresentation. As the editors of the Banner & Baptist have inserted by request, the article from the Tennessee Baptist, their sense of justice will induce them tn publish the above. P. H. MELL. For tte Swumt Z Baptist Merx-er I'niversHy. Editors Banner & Baptist,—As a friend of Mercer I Diversity, I have, during this win ter. been endeavoring to get some students to attend the present session. I have found in their minds, some objections which I have not been able fully Co remove. This has led me to think much of our beloved Institution, and I now ask permission to present its claims to your readers in a few short articles. There, are many reasons why Baptists and others should support Mercer University. Baptists should support it because it is a Baptist school. Ido not mean to say, that it is a sectarian school. Ido mean to say that it is not. It is not designed to promulgate the views of Baptists. In other words, it is not for the purpose of making converts to our faith as a denomination. Baptists, like oth ers, are willing to do this ; but it itfdonti from our pulpits, and not in our schools of learn ing. But, since it is a Baptist school, Baptists should support it. If they do not, who will? Methodists have their College at Oxford. Presbyterians have theirs at Midway ; and the State Institution is for those who s.re un der no denominational proclivity. Each de nomination has as much as it can do to take care of its own interests. Nor can we blame them for so doing ; nor can we expect any aid from them. Either of these denomina tions, from the nature of its organism, is bet ter trained and qualified than our own, for bringing their influence to bear upon a single point. In organism, purpose, plan, doctrine, discipline, and all that, these denominations are opposed to us, and if w e do not rally to the support of our own Institution, it must fail. Mercer University has, been founded in the liberality and prayers of Baptists. In ‘"Tgirttbr—tfiijs, pr*?"* ascended W-Gaii from many an honest and sincere Baptist heart, for our loved Institution. We all admit that our Theology teaches us to pray and labor for the accomplishment of any good. Our fathers in the ministry, many of them now among the “just made perfect,” often prayed that the In stitution they founded, might be a blessing to many generations yet unborn. Let us, their sons, unite our labors with their prayers. The original design of its founders was to aid the cause of religion, and education, and morali ty. Baptists started the enterprise ; it looks to Baptists mainly for support; and they on ly will be responsible for its failure, or instru mental in its success. BETA. For the Banner & Baptist. Consumption. W’ho does not fear this cruel disease w hich vulture-like attacks all who come within its range. The humble cottage of the peasant, the palatial mansion of the patrician, all, all are alike subject to the advance of this dread scourge of the human race. Youth and age are alike subject. The blooming school girl, manhood’s prime, and even doating old age, droop, wither, and pass away, under its blighting breath. Who that has stood at the bedside of some friend, (a victim of Consumption) slowly, al most impreceptably, but surely passing the vast yawning gulf between time and eternity, can refuse a thrill of horror at the bare men tion of the word Consumption ? I have seen an old man whose wrinkled face and snowy hair, betokened his three score years and ten, after a long life of usefulness, in a few months fade away. 1 have known a smiling matron, barely in the prime of life, with a troop of lovely chil dren around her, pass through the dark valley and shadow of death. 1 have seen the sinner die in the full posses sion of his mental faculties. How eagerly diii he cling to Hfe, even while the damp dew drops-of death settled upon his brow, and the cold chill of the destroyer crept over him, turning his eyes brilliant even in the moment of death, as when he held a listening audience spell-bound and breathless under his burning and impassioned eloquence, turning them up on the Physician who knew that his task was ended, he cried in an agony of terror, “Doc tor, tell me is there no hope. It was his last breath, the effort exhausted, the small rem nant of life the vital spark had fled. And he died— died unprepared to meet his Gcd. Thus it ever is with the sinner; but the righteous “having hope in his death,” fears not death, however terrible it may be. Consump tion with its hacking cough, its hectic spot up on the victim’s cheek, its soul sickening de bility—the wasting of the frame—all are clearly seen by the sufferer , but without fear, for they know that there is a home in glory prepared for them, and triumphing even in death, with faith in their Redeemer, their fearless spirits wing their flight to heaven, and with the passports of the elect, enter its shin ing portals and join the angel choir who eter nally shout their songs of praise around the great Jehovah’s Throne. Take comfort from this, ye sinners, the road of salvation is ever open to you. “Come un to me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest,” thus sayeth He who died that we might live. Turn your thoughts upon Him, and e'en though ghastly consumption comes, an immortality in yours. “Make me to know joy and gladness, accord ing to the days wherein thou hast afflicted me, and the years wherein 1 have seen evil. Let this be your prayer, and the watchman of your heart will cry “all is well.” J. M. F. r3>«"The Greek Church is at present with out a head, as the Patriarch Cyril has placed hi- Government. Such an act as this, although of extreme rarity in Western Europe, is by no means unrominon, as the Porte and the Holy Synod Tiave severally the means of mak ing the (Ecumenical throne anything but an easy seat. Report doe* not speak favorably of the Ex-Patriarch. He is said to be a dull and narrow-minded man, and by no means ad equate to the r< -ponsibilities of hiii office. There will be some delay in the election of his successor, as a new method of choice, which was adopted last year by the Greek National Assembly, is about to be inaugurat ed. (These important new regulations con cerning the election of a new Patriarch may be found in Sebera's Ee'cles. Year-Book, page 215.) Destroying Grib Worms.—James S. Nicholson, Weakly Co., Tenn., writes in an swer to the request in the ‘Basket’ last month, tor experience in destroying these vermin, that he accidentally proved the efficacy of the late plowing there recommended. A small strip of a field was plowed early in Autumn, to prepare it for corn the following year. The remainder was delayed until after several frosts had driven insects to their winter quar ters. The next Spring, the corn on the early plowed strip was much injured by the cut worm and “bod worm,” but the'late plow ed piece was ent rely uninjured. He suggests that infested fields might be turned over dur ing February, if the weather penniit, and many inserts would be killed bv succeeding frosts. Trie Charity.'—All noble natures are hopefiu. ] t is a remarkable fact that the pur est people are the moat charitable people. persons cavil at high and mean things alike, just as a dug harks with equal earnestness at the moon and a beggar. ÜBW COLMB For the Banner A Baptist, | THE VOICE OF THE WINO. The voice of the moaning wind, Is borne on the wings of night; It comes like a wail of grief, When hope has taken her flight. O, wildly, the blast shrieks round, And my soul is tilled with fear; It beareth a martial sound, As it frills on the listening ear. Thou hast many a voice, O, wind I Os pain, and sorrow, and death; Thou com’st from all lands, climes, And breathest a warning breath. Thou speak’st to my soul to-night, With a deep prophetic voice, As swiftly thou wingest thy flight, O’er lands that in freedom rejoice. A threatening storm seems borne, O’er the wild, wild wintrj- lea, Os carnage and blood and war, Deluging land and sea. Thou hast a wild note of woe, A deep, sad, and sobbing sound, As dying away so low, Thou flingest thy grief around. Thou hast breathed ’mid Southern flowers, And sighed over lonely graves, And whispered in beauty’s bowers, And tossed on the stormy waves. Like my soul in its wild unrest, TE'oukow .oiuiwdWw this shadowy sphere. Seeking in vain to be blest, ’Mid visions as fleeting as air. Peal on thy wild dirge, thou blast! A requiem sad, thou dost sing 1 Around us shadows are cast; — Mournful thy melodies ring. Breathe soft, o’er graves of the dead; O’er hearts that lie broken and Crushed; O’er joys that forever are fled; O’er Hopes that forever are hushed. Breathe a lullaby to the wild pain, That tosses my spirit in woe, As billows beat over life’s main, And threaten my soul to o’erflow. - Hark ! I list to the varied tones, As thou roamest the mountain afar, Stealing over the silent ones, With thy phantom and trackless car. Bear ye hence on thy viewless wing, From my heart all sorrow and care; Thou fickle, unstable thing! Away! to the realms of air! Go, go to the halls of mirth; Go whisper thy warning sounds; Tell the gay, the pleasures of earth, Inflict on the soul death-wounds. ******** Adieu! Thy sad voice is gone! The day-star has risen on high; I hear but the wheel of the sun, As his chariot appears in the sky. But ever in memory’s halls, Will notes of the wind harp be heard, As through the still chambers it calls, With a warning and deathless word. Griffin, Go. L’INCONNUE For the Banner A Baptist The Uncertainty of Life. How few', even amongst the number of those bearing the name *of Christ, ever seri ously reflect upon the uncertainty of life; the value of their immortal souls, or the duration of that eternity, to which all are so rapidly hastening. Few, comparatively speaking, al low themselves time to think upon these sol emn subjects, but deeply engrossed with the world, suffer their attention to become so ab sorbed by its cares and pleasures, as to forget how brittle is the thread of existence, and what seemingly trifling causes may at any moment snap it asunder, thus launching them upon the bosom of an untried and terrible eternity. Yet no truth is more plainly dis cerned ; no fact more strikingly illustrated, or as often, and so strongly impressed upon the mind, both by revelation and daily observa tion, as this one,the uncertainty of human life. Every day affords fresh evidence of the truth; the young, the aged, the beautiful, the brave, by some sudden casualty are stricken from our midst, and each moment of time comes to us, freighted with the solemn and impressive warning, ‘Be ye also ready.’ Notwith standing all this, many act as if they possessed a lease of life; the precious golden hours of time are squandered away, everything con nected with death, the grave and the judgment is banished from their minds, and like butter flies upon the summer breeze, they flit from one amusement to another, with one selfish object only in view, their present grati fication. For the benefit of all such, the following sad incident is related with the hope that through the blessing of God upon the perusal, some precious immortal soul may be led, before it is too, late to think upon its eternal welfare. Mattie S. lived in the city of Augusta. She was just emerging from childhood’s sunny, thoughtless days, into the full blush and beauty of womanhood. Young, amiable and accomplished ; the eldest of a large family of interesting children, she was, as a natural consequence, the light and life of the household ; and the joy and pride of her parent’s hearts. Unlike many of her age, Mattie lived to some purpose. Already had she taken upon herself the trying and arduous duties of a teacher; and engaged in that capacity in one of the institutes of her native city, was thus young in life, nobly bat tling with its cares, in the praiseworthy effort to maintain herself. The summer season came round ; school closed, and for the pur pose of recreation. Mattie, with the consent of her parents, prepared to make a visit up the country. Close confinement, and patient application to her duties, had dimmed the roses on her cheeks; and a trip to uppar Georgia, it was thought, would refresh and invigorate her for the duties of the Fall sea son. With mixed emotions of joy and sor row filling her breast, joy in anticipating the pleasure in store, and sorrow from leaving home, Mattie packed her trunk ; bade dear father, mother, and loving little brothers and sisters good bye, and seating herself snugly on board the car, was in a short time whirled far away from home. How little did those dear little ones, who gave the parting hand and affectionate kiss, think that it would be the last time many of them should behold Mattie on earth I ITow far from their mind was the thought, that she who now left them, so full of health and youthful vigor, would re turn but to claim a resting place in the tomb. But it was even so. A slight accident; the simple fall of a bottle of camphor near the fire, was the means of terminating Mattie’s young life. M ith the rapidity of lightning the Al cohol burst up into one fearful blaze, her gar ments became enveloped in the flames, and in a shorter space of time than it takes to relate the fact, the beautiful rosy form of Mattie, fell a victim to this devouring element. Six weeks of intense agony finished the work, and j put an end to her sufferings. Telegraphic dispatches summoned the weeping parents to receive her last farewell. Mattie was not afraijl to die. Years before, she had professed the name of Jesus; but it was hard to give up life so young; and that amongst strangers. She pleaded hard to be carried home to die ; but it could not be. The promise was given . to bury her in the loved Cemetry of Augusta; I and when death released her spirit, all that was left of Mattie, the loved and cherished daughter was placed upon the cars and borne back to her home. What pen can paint the scene, or tongue express the anguish of the bereaved family and friends, when her re mains reached their midst. Such grief is too sacred to be unveiled. But this was the end of Mattie S. So young, so loved ; just com mencing a noble and useful career, she was cut oft’; and when the duties of the Institute w ere resumed, another took her place, while she quietly rested beneath the sod. What a warning to the young is this sad incident! May it cause them to heed the Divine idjunc tion, “Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh.” AUNT EDITH. Florida. For the Banner A Baptist. Do you Love your Babe ? love that rosy prat tling Ah! you start with surprise at the question; and wonder how any one can resist the winning ways cf your darling, as with dimpled hands placed over little blue eyes, it plays so lovingly at bo-peep with Mama. Yes, even strangers must be attracted by your sweet one; and that may be true, but mother, your love is something different; something far holier in its nature. Have you ever forgotten your little one is not your own ; but, that it is bought with a price, and as such, is a saered, precious trust com mitted to your care ? Do you realize that it has an immortal soul, asonl, the end and ob ject of whose existence, both here and here after, is to honor and glorify Him, who gave it being? Do you feel the heavy resonsibili ty resting upon you as its mother, to train and prepare your child to fulfill aright this high and holy destination ? Do you feel and ac knowledge your weakness, your incompeten cy to the task without Divine assistance ; and is it your firm resolve in view of these solemn facts, to edeavor to the best of your ability, aided by strength from on high, to educate your precious little one for eternity ? If so, then, with a clear conscience can you truly an swer, “I love my child.” Yours is an affec tion, compared with which all others of an earthly nature, are dross. Your mission, young mother, is a high and holy one. Much every w’ay depends upon your humble efforts. May such love as yours continue to burn with a bright and purer flame : and may God of His infinite wisdom and mercy supply you with a double portion of His Spirit, increase your zeal, strengthen your hands and crown yo t and your charge at last, in the mansions above. Florida. .AUNT EDITH For the Banner A Baptist. WORDS. by l’inconnue. A modern writer speaking of words, says they are undying; that words spoken to-day, will live in vibrations of the atmosphere thousands of years hence. This is a startling thought! Whether it be true or not, the Bible assures us, that for every idle word we speak, we shall have to render an account to God. Reader, just think what a long list of idle, thoughtless, frivolous and simple words the Recording angel hath made aginst you and I, and all! True, a word is a little thing, yet in its ef fects it is often a mighty agent for good or evil. Oftimes a word may blacken a good name. Many a gentle and noble heart has been wrung with anguish by the mischief that grew out of what at first was but an idle or thoughtless remark, but gathering malignity as it rolled on from tongue to tongue, it at length became a tale that in blackness and sinfulness would have done credit to the Fath er of sin and lies himself. Where is the community in all this broad and beautiful land that is free from this sin, this worst sort of thieving, the pilfering a good name? In all ages and climes of the world’s history, people have ever been ad dicted to every species of detraction, but this “age of progress” seems not behind in im provement in the various arts and methods of best winging the keen shaft that too oft in flicts a fatal wound. O, the bitter words that corrode as they fall on the heart, and oft turn the sweet “waters of affections spring” into a fountain of Marah I The angry words that uttered—produce a storm of wrath and indignation, the devasta ting effects of which on the character and heart are ineffaceable. Like the hot breath of the Simoom which passes over the plant to scathe and kill it. O, the incalculable mis chief wrought by bad words—thoughtless words—can it be fully estimated ? How careful we should be, how' and w hat we speak. The apostle says, “The tongue can no man tame, it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. It is set on fire of hell.”— This strong language is true. Man cannot tame the tongue, but he can by the help of the Holy Spirit control the use of it. And how necessary in all the relations of life it is, that we use the gift of speech aright. How many a warped, distorted and blighted char acter would have been beautiful in its unity and simplicity, but for the cruel, hateful words that withered and blighted its early promise. Who that has read Dante's “Divine Com media,” but believes the fearful picture he has drawn of the sower of disseasions to be a just one ? Dismembered and seperated, yet each part instinct with life, keenly alive to ■pain, of the fiercest kind, dying but never dead, living on through endless ages in the gloomy shades, enduring the penalty of its sin. A fearful picture ! Yet, perhaps it may fall short of the dreadful realities of that world of Retribution which the Scriptures as sert is prepared for the wicked. Once there was a beautiful maiden, very young, fair and innocent. She was trusting as she was pure and good. In an evil hour her widowed mother offended a good man, who, with the unscrupulous malice of a friend and the malignity of a demon, whispered words of direful import against that innocent and pure-minded who had no one to protect or defend her. At first, be only whispered to menials, but the tale rolled on and on, ascending higher and higher in the -== = z======^==^~ < social scale, till many were rolling on the wave which was destined to overwhem and crush in ruin one who had never injured a hu man being in her life. “A whisper broke the air, A strange light tone and low ; O, might it only perish there, Nor farther go 1 But ah ! it wanders round, From lips to ear, from ear to lips, Until it reached a gentle heart,— And— that it broke,” Yes, it reached the fair creature at length, who had begun to wonder why people looked at her so strangely, as if they were angry with her, and she grew white as the lily that bloomed in the garden. Never again did she smile in hope or youthful joy, but in a few weeks she gradually failed. One lovely sum mer eve, when the setting sun gilded the dis tant mountains and lit up the landscape with soft beauty, the face of the dying girl wore an unearthly radiance; she smiled brightly, and called her mother; raising her head feeb ly and with an effort, she cast her eyes for the last time upon the fair prospect spread out ‘ before the window. “I shall never see the sun rise again,” she said, “I am dying—l go gladly, forgiving those who, by their cruelty, have killed me; may God cause them to re pent of their sin and fergive them, is my last and dying prayer.” She closed her eyes, fell back on her pillow and soon her pure spirit was wafted by .fco th.it blest place where “the wicked cease from troubling.” Her mother buried her away beneath the friendly earth, which covered and hid her sen sitive and crushed heart; and lived on in desolation and loneliness of spirit, cherishing hate and revenge, a psrfcct Nemesis in her feelings, desiring only to live to avenge her daughter. Forgettiug God hath said— “ Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” O, evil words are truly appalling, but all the misery in this world of talk, is not al ways occasioned by evil intention only. What is usually denominated harmless gossip, does as much mischief perhaps as downright evil speaking. “Full many a shaft at random sent, Finds aim the archer never meant; And many a word at random spoken, “May heal or wmund a heart that’s broken.” But what is so pleasant as good words, holy and loving words, indited by the spirit of love, falling on the heart like dew on a thirsty plant. Blessed God-given words of Christian sympathy and encouragement, bringing down blessings on the giver and re-\ ceiver; blessings which can only have their full fruition in Eternity. “A word fitly spo ken is like apples of gold set in pictures of silver.” “A soft answer turneth away wrath.” O, the beauty of meek words, telling that the heart, the fountain of good and evil, has been baptized by dew from holy Mount Hermon. Words are but the hieroglyphics of "iKmight, and if the heart be filbd with holy and geiitle thoughts, the lips will express gentle utteran ces, musical with the sweet and far off sym phonies of Heaven, an! the face will brighten with loving smiles. And life will be filled with radiance, for words are magnetic and re-act upon the speaker; amiability begets amiability in others, while the charity that suffereth long and is kind, shall bring its own exceeding reward. Let Its it#n through the high-ways and by ways of life, scattering blessings around us; cheering the despondent; soothing the sorrowful; helping the laden meary workers in this great hive of the world; encouraging the timid ; giving Hope to the despondent, and bidding God speed the blessed laborers in our Master’s vineyard. \ While books are multiplied, and news-pa pers, journals, authors and writers are increas ed, let us not forget to multiply good words, sweet words, holy words, pleasant words, prayer words, hopeful words; praying to be delivered from all uncharitable expressions or thoughts, remembering they are deathless as as our own souls. For the Banner A Baptlat. Life and Hope. These two terms have no real connection, apparently. Widely they seem to straggle a part from each other. One giving a scene of realities, pains, and fears; the other lulled in a bed of downy softness. Who would not gladly pluck the green sprout that springs up in fairness and beauty, from amidst life’s toils. Like the balms of most efficacious cure, they bid the wild throbings of that heart to cease. Oh ! yes ; Hope is the reviver of mankind. It gently steals into man’s heart, and says look vp. View thou the bright side of life’s pic ture. Consider the purple curtains of life’s realities that gather around thy secret door of thoughts as mere bubbles. Let them not wreck thy ship of happiness on the sea of life. But bid them fly : be gone ye mental compan ions to the land of dreary shades. May we not hold out the hand of congratu lation to this timid, sylph-like maiden Hope, for having performed such heroic acts, such acts of kindness in our land ? We should, with sensations of deepest gratitude. Doating on our little island of contentment, with verdant oases of smiling plenty, we can but exclaim, she is our goddess of dispensing good. As we all like to wrap ourselves in impenetrable mantles, and view land-scapes ofgone-by days, we will rest on this mossy seat, and read a few sketches penned by those who daily ex perience the length and breadth of our two connected and unconnected terms—Life and Hope, Would we ever have heard of a Shaks peare without Hope ? Would not life’s tem pestuous storms have extinguished the bright lamp of fume in the vista of the future, if Hope had not whispered press on? Would the laurels of greatness ever have crowned Washington’s brow, if Hope had not strew ed the untrodden path with flowerets ? No. Our little heroine as the famous actress of all famed operations. But yet listen will ye, while 1 say she allures many from the do mestic board, she causes many eyes to spar kle, many cheeks to glow with excitement, as she leads them up the rugged hill of Science. Follow not the misguided l>eauty. Did’st thou know that fame alone did not satisfy the heart of woman? Her warm, affectionate na ture heeds not the words of praise, but desires a fountain of love’s atmosphere to keep alive the lamp of her life. FANNIE W**•****•. Southern Female College. Jesus dwells in our hearts, and fills them with his power and presence, they will be filled with folly, vanity, and vexation.